Gezicht op een pand aan de Herengracht 1918 - 1920

This is Tinus de Jongh's "Gezicht op een pand aan de Herengracht", an undated print rendered with delicate lines that capture the architectural essence of Amsterdam. The composition is carefully structured, creating a balance between the detailed facade of the building and the reflective surface of the canal. The artist’s use of line work and tonal variation invites us to consider how the formal elements serve as signs within a larger cultural context. The detailed etching technique, especially in the articulation of the building's features, suggests a precise observation of reality. This precision reflects the values of representation in art while subtly questioning the role of the artist as an objective observer. Notice how the reflections in the water are not mere copies but textured interpretations. De Jongh engages with ideas about perception and representation, hinting that what we see is always a construct, mediated by both the artist's hand and our own interpretive gaze. The work prompts us to reconsider the fixed meanings we assign to urban landscapes.